Which HD Cam best, easy transfer to Mac, edit on Final Cut?

DJarmusch · 02-20-2006, 08:26 PM

I want to move up to shooting on HD with an inexpensive camera (approx. $3,000 to $5,000), but I borrowed a Sony FX1 from a friend with the intention to shoot some HD video, but he told me I cannot transfer the HD video directly to my computer - he said I need some sort of deck to do the transfer. Sure enough, I tried it anyway and couldn't get the computer to recognize my firewire connection between the computer and the FX1. I am used to shooting on miniDV using a Sony VX2000 and my little Sony DRC-HC40, then transfering the footage directly to Macintosh via firewire for editing in Final Cut Pro HD 4.5. Until this experience I was convinced that I wanted an FX1. Now I am not sure. I am left with the following questions:

Is there an easy way to get the HD footage from the FX1 to my Mac and Final Cut? If so, how is it done?
What is the best camera (in the roughly $3,000 to $5,000 range) to get high quality 16:9 ratio HD footage into Final Cut on a Mac?
What is the minimum I need in terms of hardware including camcorder and deck or firewire, etc. to get high quality 16:9 ratio HD footage into Final Cut on my Mac?

Superman · 02-21-2006, 10:25 AM

You need to have FCP 5 for it to work natively with that camera. Otherwise, try this plug-in or this plug-in.

02-20-2006, 08:26 PM	#1
DJarmusch What is HD? Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 1	Which HD Cam best, easy transfer to Mac, edit on Final Cut? I want to move up to shooting on HD with an inexpensive camera (approx. $3,000 to $5,000), but I borrowed a Sony FX1 from a friend with the intention to shoot some HD video, but he told me I cannot transfer the HD video directly to my computer - he said I need some sort of deck to do the transfer. Sure enough, I tried it anyway and couldn't get the computer to recognize my firewire connection between the computer and the FX1. I am used to shooting on miniDV using a Sony VX2000 and my little Sony DRC-HC40, then transfering the footage directly to Macintosh via firewire for editing in Final Cut Pro HD 4.5. Until this experience I was convinced that I wanted an FX1. Now I am not sure. I am left with the following questions: Is there an easy way to get the HD footage from the FX1 to my Mac and Final Cut? If so, how is it done? What is the best camera (in the roughly $3,000 to $5,000 range) to get high quality 16:9 ratio HD footage into Final Cut on a Mac? What is the minimum I need in terms of hardware including camcorder and deck or firewire, etc. to get high quality 16:9 ratio HD footage into Final Cut on my Mac?

02-21-2006, 10:25 AM	#2
Superman HD makes my pants tight Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Baltimore, MD Age: 35 Posts: 2,601	You need to have FCP 5 for it to work natively with that camera. Otherwise, try this plug-in or this plug-in.